Wisdom

Which nation is the most foolish nation in the world? It is the nation that denies the existence and works of God and Christ, the most foolish nation in the world. Let's notice about God and Christ in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 14. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 14 we see here about the father and the son, the apostle Paul speaking to the Ephesians. Ephesus was the center of pagan worship to a large degree. Paul makes it clear that salvation is available to Jew and Gentile in Ephesus, especially chapters 1 through 3. For this cause I bow my knee unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The whole family in heaven and earth, as we said last week, Genesis 1-1, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And he created the heavens and the earth through Jesus Christ. How does the Bible label a person or persons or a nation? Basically, we have one nation that has the largest population on the face of the earth that is trying to expunge Christianity from the environs thereof, though they claim that they are trying to do everything they can to correct their human rights record. Look at Psalm 14 and verse 1. Psalm 14 and verse 1. This is the label that God puts on those, denies that there is a God and that God is the great creator of the universe. He is our Father. Jesus Christ said He bowed His need to the Father. In Psalm 14.1 it says, the fool has set in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There's none that does good. Now, this gives a description of what we see here in the world today. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They're all gone aside. They are all altogether become filthy. There's none that does good. No, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord. There were they in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous. You have shamed the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge. All that salvation of Israel will come out of Zion, and we look forward to that day when the Lord brings back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad. God declares the fool has declared in his heart that there is no God. In survey after survey, those surveys reveals that more and more people in the U.S. claim to be atheists. Once again, we see the foundation of all spiritual things is to believe that God exists. He who would come to God must, first of all, believe that he is. So we're living in a time in which more and more people are doubting the very existence of God, and by deduction from the scripture we can conclude that we have more and more fools among us. It is inescapable. Sadly, many of these people are leaders in our world. They are the educators, the scientists, the politicians, and sadly some who claim to be religious leaders. Most politicians claim to believe in God. However, the legislation they pass contradicts what they claim to profess. And it goes against very macho of the country that's still on our currency in God we trust. Wisdom is often equated with common sense.

We live in a world in which common sense is an uncommon phenomenon. It's difficult to find people with common sense. So that leads to our title and SPS today, Wisdom. What is it and how can you receive it? Wisdom, what is it and how can you receive it?

When we see what's going on in the world today, we just shake our heads and disbelief at the foolish decisions of our time. We read those day after day. Wisdom is rooted, on the other hand, true wisdom is rooted in the fear of God. I can't say that enough. We'll read some scriptures to that effect in just a moment. The true wisdom is rooted in the fear of God. We could also say that wisdom is rooted in the love of God. God is love, but our fear of God and love of God at odds? Of course not. If you really understand the true fear of God, it also has to do with loving God and the love of God. So let's carefully note the following passages of scripture. Let's look at Psalm 111 and verse 10.

Now my lead-in statement to this is, once again, wisdom is rooted in the fear of the Eternal.

In Psalm 111 and verse 10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding, have all the day that do his commandments, his praise endures forever. So we see here that obedience is also linked to wisdom, as we shall see. But it takes more than just obedience, as we shall see from the case of Job.

In Proverbs chapter 1, forward a few pages to Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 17. Proverbs 1 and verse 17, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. If you don't believe in God, if you don't accept his word, then you are in the category of despising what God has to offer, one of the most valuable things that he does have to offer is wisdom and knowledge. Now forward a few pages to Proverbs 9 and verse 10. And Proverbs 9 and verse 10, once again, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

There's a link between wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. In some ways, wisdom could be equated with understanding. So what is the fear of God? That is a question that all of us should really dwell on here this afternoon, young and old. As we have clearly noted from Scripture, wisdom is rooted in the fear of God. So let's notice now in Proverbs 8 and verse 13, back now a few pages, Proverbs 8 and verse 13. In Proverbs 8 and verse 13, there's a follow-up on this sermon I would recommend reading all of chapter 8, because in chapter 8 of Proverbs, wisdom is personified. In Proverbs 8 and verse 13, the fear of the Lord is to, and what is enumerated here are the great enemies of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Yes, it says to hate evil, pride and arrogance and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate. God hates all of these things, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

There's much more to the fear of God that stems from an understanding of who God is, what God is, what is His purpose, and it's corollary to that who is man, what is man, and what is His purpose. In other words, you have to come to understand why you are born to ever really receive the wisdom of God. You have to come to understand why you were born to ever really receive the true wisdom from above. So now let's notice and focus on how we can gain wisdom and some of the pitfalls thereof. First of all, the Word of God commands us to examine ourselves. Many sages have stated through the ages that the unexamined life is a life not worth living. The Word of God commands us to examine ourselves. Look at 2 Corinthians 13 verse 5. Passover was mentioned in the sermonette with regard to Passover being the next holy day that is coming up, and of course we will spend time on Passover preparation as we do every year. In 2 Corinthians 13 verse 5. Second Corinthians 13 verse 5. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know you not yourselves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates. Examine yourself. Now quickly back to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, which specifically gives instructions about the Passover. We want to focus on this part, though, about the unexamined life is not worth living. And if you're really seeking wisdom from above and the wisdom of God, you need to understand the great questions of life, and you need to examine yourself why you are, where you are, why you believe, what you believe in 1 Corinthians 11 and 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Verse 31, for if we would judge ourselves, and of course to judge yourself you have to examine yourself, for if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged. But when we are judged, and this is talking about God's judgment, oftentimes judgment comes upon us through the hands of God through various means to try to get our attention. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world. So God wants us to get our house in order so that he doesn't have to step in and correct it. And even if our house is in order, God is going to prune the tree that it might bear more fruit. So why do you believe what you believe? How do you arrive at your underlying set of beliefs, which includes assumptions, prejudices, and convictions? It is important that we examine the process to determine if you have acquired the correct set of beliefs because they influence your thinking. Thought, of course, is a precursor of belief, and belief is a precursor of action. And thought and belief serve to help motivate us to whatever action we take. A lot of people just reflexively react instead of examining before they jump. Most people just drift along with the tide of life, being tossed to and fro, seeking pleasure, and like water, seeking the path of least resistance.

Then they wake up one day and realize that their life has been in vain. But sadly, many never wake up and go to the grave, not knowing who they are and why they were born.

In the funeral that I gave there on Thursday afternoon in Ellisville, Mississippi, there were a lot of people there who were once in the church, relatives of the family, and some who had been in church who were not relatives, who had heard what I had to say in the funeral message with regard to the same thing that I'm talking about right now of coming to understand what life is all about. And so they decided to cast it away. Many of them said, oh, I really appreciate that sermon. I haven't heard a sermon like that in years. Well, we try to do that just about every Sabbath. And so people stop examining themselves. They stop fearing God. They become victims of an unexamined life. The right kind of fear of God is based on understanding that you know God is love. He created you in His image and that He has the power of life and death over you. But sadly, the evil forces of this world, of this society, has so desensitized our youth that they are afflicted with an attitude of, I don't care and so what? So one day you're sitting beside John and Flo in school, and the next day you're shooting them down. One day you're their friend, or whatever, or one day you perceive you're being bullied by them. Whatever is in the mind of those who take innocent lives unmercifully.

It seems they had just as soon died as to live. In one of the shooters this week, I guess it was last night, shot himself in the head, but he didn't kill himself.

When you become so deeply afflicted and affected, afflicted and affected, of course, a lot of trials come on a lot of people. There's hardly any person that has not been teased and bullied. I would say virtually everyone in here has been teased and bullied at some time. In different ways. When you become so deeply afflicted and affected by an attitude of, I don't care, you don't really value your life or the life of others. The Apostle Paul stood on Mars Hill in Athens hundreds of years ago. If you would be turning to Acts 17, verse 22, Mark's Hill was a place where the philosophers of the day in Greece, of course, Athens was the center and cradle of western thought at that time. It was from Greece that western civilization spread westward into Europe and eventually to this country. In fact, the schools that the Greeks developed to some degree were copied by the Germans and the German system of education is basically what was copied in this nation.

Several years ago, we had the president of Tokyo University visit the campus out here. Big Sandy and I hosted him that day, took him around the campus, showed him all the different things, the programs, etc. I said, well, what do you model your system of education on? Because the Japanese have made tremendous strides in so many different areas and becoming, in essence, westernized, yet living in the extreme orient in the east. And he said, we model it after the German model. Basically, that's what our educational system was modeled on, the German model. There's nothing wrong, per se, with the model. Of course, you can always improve the model. A lot of the modeling has to do with systemic organization, that kind of thing, but the horror that rubber meets the road is the content. The right kind of fear is based on the understanding that you know God, that you know He is loved. He created you in His image, and He has the power of life and death over you. But sadly, the forces of evil have so desensitized. So Paul, standing on Mars Hill, asked you to turn to Acts 17, verse 22, where the philosophers of the day gathered to hear some new thing. Then Paul stood up in the midst of Mars Hill and said, you men of Athens, I perceive in all things you are too superstitious. And some translations say you are more religious than most people, or you're bound to religion and suspicion, superstition. For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription to the unknown God. In case we've left one out, let's include one we don't know about, whom therefore you ignorantly worship Him, declare I unto you. So Paul said, I'm going to declare this unknown God to you.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is the Lord of heaven and of earth, dwells not in temples made with hands. Neither is worship with men's hands as though He needed anything, seeing He gives to all life and breath and all things, and have made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after Him and find Him, though He is not far from every one. For in Him we live, move, and have our being. In Him we move, we live, we have our being. We would not even exist if God had not ordained the great plan that He did. Wisdom is usually defined as the proper application of knowledge. How do you properly apply knowledge? I would define wisdom in a practical sense of being able to judiciously and righteously decide between two alternatives. Solomon had these two mothers come to him with the baby, and both were arguing which one should have the baby, and Solomon made a decision. So let's note some real-life examples. Several of these. Shall I believe in God or not believe in God? You know, even those people who are going astray like those people that attended this funeral who had left the church, if you were to ask them, do you believe in God? I believe every one of them would say, yes, I believe in God. But see, they let some kind of obstacle get in their way. It might be a person. They are the yay butters. Yay, but do you know what they did? Or the gain-sayers.

The scornful. Blessed is a man who says not in the seat of the scornful.

Shall I believe in God or not believe in God? Shall I obey or not obey God? Shall I give in to temptation or not give in? Shall I do my best whatever my hand finds to do? Or just try to get by? Should I finish school or not finish school? Shall I go to college or not go to college? Shall I get married or not get married? Shall I have children or not have children? Shall I take this job or not take this job? Shall I trade cars or not trade cars? Shall I buy a home or rent? Shall I go in debt or to try to pay everything off cash? Shall I love my wife as Christ gave commandment?

Shall I submit to my husband as instructed by Scripture? Shall I discipline the children according to the Word of God? We could go on and on with real-life alternatives we face in our daily activities.

These are some of the those that are more costly, but there are many, many decisions that we make every day. The word that is commonly used when we don't make a wise decision is mistake. I made a mistake. After all, we all make mistakes, and nobody is perfect. However, people get uncomfortable and I guess probably start to point fingers at the speaker when you quote Matthew 5, verse 48. It says, Become ye therefore perfect, Jesus speaking, of course, and become ye therefore perfect, perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. Now, that is quite a challenge.

Know what the Apostle Paul writes in Hebrews 6. I've covered this many times. The great doctrines of Hebrews 6.

One time we had a booklet titled, The Six Great Doctrines, but actually it should have been titled, The Seven Great Doctrines because Paul is saying, let's go on from the six great doctrines to the seventh great doctrine, which is on to perfection. So it begins in Hebrews 6, verse 1, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection. And perfection cuts across, the road to perfection cuts across all of these. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works. So it begins there, hearing the Word of God, being convicted, which we talked about last week, responding to that conviction. Faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, receiving the Holy Spirit, resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. And this will we do if God permit. Well, God will permit us to go on to perfection. We will never reach that goal as no human being other than Christ has lived perfectly. We have all sinned, as it says in Romans 3, 23. All are sinned to come short of the glory of God. But thanks be to God, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 6, 23. We should ask ourselves, was it a mistake or is it sin? And what is the principal cause of these so-called mistakes? A lot of mistakes are made when people get caught up in a passionate kind of situation, and a lot of it has to do with vanity. Vanity, in the biblical sense, sometimes translated as temporal, temporary, really means warning my thing now. Vanity is one of the greatest enemies of wisdom. Vanity is one of the greatest enemies of wisdom. We'll note this. Satan's vanity and pride led him into rebellion. See, at one time he summed up wisdom. Look at Ezekiel 28, 12. In Ezekiel 28, beginning in verse 12, the king of Tyreus, the type of Satan, son of man, take up a lamentation against the king of Tyreus and say unto him, Thus says the Lord God, you seal up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You've been in Eden, the garden of God, every precious stone was your covering. List all those stones.

All of this was done in the day that you were created. God, through Christ, created the devil. All things were created, both in heaven and in earth, through Christ. Colossians chapter 1, verses 14 through 17. You are the anointed carob that covers, and I have set you so. You were upon the holy mountain of God. You were right at the throne of God. You have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Some commentaries talk about through the universe. You have had quite the tenure. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till lawlessness was found in you by the multitude of your merchandise. They have filled the midst of you with violence and you have sinned. Therefore, I will cast you out as profane out of the mountain of God. I will destroy you, O covering carob, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, vanity. Oh, I'm so beautiful. I'm so wise. You have been corrupted by your wisdom, by reason of your brightness. I'm the most beautiful thing there is in the whole creation. So why shouldn't I be in charge? So like we read earlier from Romans 8 and from Proverbs 8 verse 13, the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, and evil way in the pro-word mouth. Those are enemies of wisdom.

Now we go to 1 John and we see more in the modern sense and in the human sense of what trips up most people. And it's given in the broad generic form here.

In 1 John chapter 2 verse 15, love not the world, love not the world. Neither the things are in the world. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, these three things, the lust of the flesh. And see, they are innate. Innate means you are born with, inherent within you are certain drives.

There is, of course, the thirst drive, the hunger drive, the sex drive, and many self-preservation drives, and many drives that are of the flesh. But yet, at the same time, God wants us to use the flesh in the right way and for the right reason. The lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God, abides forever. So one of Satan's greatest deceptions is to seduce you into believing you can have your thing now. The only thing Satan has to offer is the glamour and glitz of this world. And Satan played the vanity angle in the Garden of Eden to the full extent. As God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the Garden, well, he said that you can eat of every tree except one. You can't eat of it. You can't touch it. She added the touch bit.

If we eat of that, we shall surely die. Satan said, you shall not surely die, but your eyes shall be open. You shall be as God's, knowing good and evil. In other words, you'll take to yourself the prerogative of God. In the temptation of Job, remember what we just said about the Garden of Eden, see, Eve succumbed to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All three. She succumbed to all three. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

In the temptation of Job, Satan asked God to let him take away Job's material possessions. If you would turn to Job chapter 1. I know we're spending a lot of time on the pitfalls to wisdom, because obviously you don't want to do what Satan did, and you don't want to fall into what Eve did. And Adam, you don't want to fall into what Job eventually did.

Perhaps we will set the record straight once and for all on Job here this afternoon as well. In Job chapter 1 verse 8, And the Lord said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that fears God and eschews evil? So Job feared God, and he obeyed God, but he was presented with a great trial. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear you for nothing? Does Job fear God for nothing?

Satan believes that everyone succumbs as he did, that you only serve God to get what you can get from him. Have not you made an hedge about him and about his house, about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. Put forth your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the Eternal said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon himself. Put not forth your hand. And, of course, God permitted Satan to take away everything that Job had in the material sense, including his family, except for his wife. Of course, his wife said, Just curse God and die. But Job said, No, I'm not going to do that. And then Satan came back and said, Well, let me put my hand to him, and he will curse you. And so Job had the great affliction that came upon him.

In the temptation of Christ, we're going to come back to Job in just a minute. In the temptation of Christ, Matthew 4, verses 1 through 11, we will highlight some of this. Matthew 4.

After Christ had been baptized, you look at Matthew 3 and verse 17. See, the great test that was on Christ that Satan challenged was this commendation that the Father made after Christ was baptized. In Matthew 3, verse 17, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tried, tested, and the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God. See, that was the great challenge. If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. So he challenged Jesus on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. If you'll bow down and worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth.

Verse 8. Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and sends him to him. All these things will give you, if you'll bow down and worship me. Then said Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him. See, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Resist the devil. This is in James chapter 4. Resist the devil, he will flee from you.

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Humankind is historically hated wisdom from the Garden of Eden to the present time. Humankind, as a whole, as we have seen here, and are seeing with Eve, with Job, but not with Christ, but humankind as a whole, have not exercised sound wisdom.

And they hate wisdom. To hate wisdom and instruction is to love death.

Look at Proverbs 8, verse 32.

Remember, I said in Proverbs 8, wisdom is personified. So we want to go to Proverbs 8 and verse 32.

Proverbs 8, verse 32. Now therefore, children, listen unto me, O you children, for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, in other words, be filled with wisdom and refuse it not. Blessed is a man that hears me watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors, for whoso finds me finds life that is wisdom. Whoso finds me, wisdom being personified. Whoso finds wisdom finds life. He shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sins against me against wisdom, wrongs his own life, his soul, his life essence. All though that hate me, wisdom, love death.

So it's very clear that we should love wisdom and seek wisdom. Now I want us to go to 2 Chronicles, and we're going to focus more now on how to get wisdom. We're also going to come back to Job as well. In 2 Chronicles 1, Solomon has been made king of Israel. Remember that Solomon was the son of Bathsheba, the son born from David's illicit affair with Bathsheba. Solomon became the king of Israel, and he made a great prayer. Verse 7, 2 Chronicles 1. In that night that God appeared unto Solomon and said unto him, Ask what I shall give you. And Solomon said unto God, You have shown great mercy unto David, my father, and have made me to reign in his stead. Now, Lord God, let your promise unto David, my father, be established, for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom, give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people. For who can judge your people, your people that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of your enemies, neither have you asked long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king. Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto you. So daily our prayer should be that God would give us the wisdom to fulfill whatever purpose in life he has called us to. Give us the wisdom to fulfill. God hasn't called you on accident, as we talked about last week, of his own will, but yet he you with a word of truth. Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto you, and I will give you riches and wealth and honor such as none of the kings have had before you. Neither shall there be any after you. In fact, in the early days of Solomon's reign, it was a typical life, a symbolic of the millennium, with each man under his own vine and fig tree. Now we want to look at James and the application to us that I just mentioned in James chapter 1 and verse 5. This is so clear, the instruction here with regard to wisdom.

In James 5, if any of you lack wisdom, we all lack it. We all need it. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all men liberally, and upbraid not, and it shall be given him, but let him ask in faith nothing wavering.

For he that wavers is like a wave of the seed, driven with the wind and toss, for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways. In James chapter 3 verse 13, beginning there, we get a description of the wisdom that is from above. What is it like? Well, here in these verses, starting in James 3, 13, we get a description of what God's wisdom is like. And also we see, once again, that which is against God's wisdom. In James 3, 13, who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? So who has wisdom, who has knowledge? Let him show out of a good conduct his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion in every evil work. We see that being played out in our government today, in the leadership of the world, in the nations of the world, and how sad it really is. Every evil work. That includes lying, stealing, murder, all of that and more. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure. Then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. So what about me? What about you? Am I endowed with wisdom from above? And am I seeking wisdom?

Is each one of us seeking wisdom? Note God's instructions about seeking wisdom. We go once again back to Proverbs. Proverbs being what might be called the book of wisdom. Solomon, the wisest man. We read about how Solomon prayed for wisdom. Wisdom was granted to him. There was never a light on earth as Solomon from that time forth.

In Proverbs 1, verse 1, 1-1, the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, 2-3, to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity, to give subtlety to the young man's knowledge and discretion.

A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel, to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and the dark sayings. The fear of the Lord, as we have read, is the beginning of knowledge. Now you look at verse 20. Proverbs 1 and verse 20. Wisdom cries without, she utters her voice in the street. She cries in the chief place of the concourse. In the openings of the gates in the city, she utters her words, saying, How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

In the scorners delight, in the scorning, in the fools hate knowledge. We want to cry out for it and seek it. Verse 1 of 2, chapter 2, verse 1. My son, if you will receive my words and hide my commandments with you, so shall you incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. Yes, if you cry after knowledge, lift up your voice for understanding and seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure, you shall understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom out of his mouth, comes knowledge and understanding.

Oh, what they would do for the gold rush to get to California. We'd sell everything we have. Let's go to the gold rush, or whatever rush you might want to name in the chorus and the handles of human history of people wanting to get rich quick and the promise of the great treasure that lies just beyond what you would do to get it. The Bible says, verse 7, He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a buckler of them that walk uprightly. He keeps the paths of judgment, preserves the way of his saints. Then shall you understand righteousness and judgment and equity. Yes, every good path when wisdom enters into your heart and knowledge is pleasant unto your life essence.

Discretion, that is ability to discern, shall preserve you. Understanding shall keep you to deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks forward things, who leave the path of righteousness to walk in the way of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the frowardness of the wicked, whose ways are crooked and they froward in their paths. And he goes on talking about the flatterer and not to fall into the trap of the flatterer.

In 1 Corinthians 12 verse 8 we see that, once again, that wisdom is a gift and we should cry out for it. We should seek it. I mean, the comparison of the people who sought after gold and the riches of this world. You know about the parable when a person sells all that he has and he goes out to seek the pearl of great gifts, everything he has for the pearl of great price, the truth of God.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 8, 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 8, 1 Corinthians 12 verse 8, we're not going to read all the gifts of the Spirit here, but we'll see here that wisdom, for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, the word of wisdom to another, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.

So are we crying out or are we asking God for wisdom? We noted that in Solomon's prayer he cried out for wisdom. We noted in James pray for wisdom. Pray in faith. Don't be double-minded. Are you praying for God to give you the wisdom that is needed for you to fulfill what he's called you to do? Are you praying for wisdom to gain more understanding of his great plan and purpose? I think sometimes this might escape us.

More understanding of his great plan and purpose. Look at Ephesians right now, chapter 1. In Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 8, you know, to know more and more the deeper you are grounded and founded with your roots deep into the precious promises of God, God who has promised, God who cannot lie. The more apt you are able to not fall prey to the great enemies of wisdom, the more apt you are to be able to weather the storm.

Weather the storm. Ephesians 1.8, wherefore he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, and that he has purposed in himself. Now we're going to pick it up again. Of course, we could read all of it, but we don't have time. Verse 17, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom.

Do we seek after that as the pearl of great price, as the hidden treasure, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, to know more and more about God and Christ, to know more and more about the purpose and plan of God? The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe according to the working of his mighty power? Sometimes we tend to forget that it is God who works in us to will and to do his good pleasure, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. He's going to do the same for you on that resurrection day and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might, dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world but in the world that is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all and all. I mean, after you read that, you tend to be pumped, as they say. You can gain wisdom by meditating on the Word of God. We look once again here at the Psalms. In Psalm 119, verse 97, we heard in the sermonette some about meditation. And as he said then, not according to what you might hear in the world about yoga and meditation, but meditating on the Word of God. In Psalm 119 and verse 97, O how I love you, love your law. O how I love your law. It is my meditation all the day. You through your commandments have made me wiser. You fill me with wisdom. How? Your commandments make me wiser. I have more wisdom than mine enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding in all my teachers for your testimonies or my meditation. I understand more than the ancients because I keep your precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep your Word. I have departed from your judgments, for you have taught me how sweet are your words unto my taste, yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every evil way your Word is a lamp into my feet, a light into my path. See, this is where God wants us to tread on that path of enlightenment.

Now let's go back to Job as time is fleeting here. In Job 33, Job had a long, hard lesson to learn. As I made the statement earlier, that obedience is linked to wisdom. And we read about Job being a perfect and upright man, astute evil, did that which was right in the sight of God. But when the great trial came upon him, especially upon his own flesh where he was stricken from head to toe, Job had a big lesson to learn.

So after his three friends had spoken to him the wrong things, finally this younger guy spoke up, Elihu, and he said in Job 33-32, if you have anything to say, answer me, speak for I desire to justify you. If not, hearken unto me, hold your peace, and I shall teach you wisdom. Now chapter 34 is about wisdom. You should read chapter 34 of all the wonderful things that God does for us. We want to come down to Job 34 and verse 34. Job 34-34.

Some people we've even had people in the church to get excited about. Well, Job was really he didn't lack anything. He was misjudged and all that. This sets us straight. In Job 34 verse 34, let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me. Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. For he adds rebellion unto his sin. He adds rebellion unto his sin. What was his sin? He justified himself instead of God. For he adds rebellion unto his sin. He clapped his hands among us and multiplied his words against God. And so that was Job's great downfall. Now we're looking back at chapter 33 and verse 8.

And Eli Hugh continues here. He's speaking to Job.

33, 8, Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words. I am clean without transgression. I am innocent. Neither is there lawlessness in me. Behold, he finds occasion against me. He counts me as his enemy. So he then says, God is his enemy. He who would come to God must first of all believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

So Job said, God is his enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks. He marks all my paths. Behold, in this you are not just. I will answer you that God is greater than man. Why do you strive against him? For he gives not account of any of his matters. And so after Eli Hugh gets Job's attention, then Job in chapter 42, if you want to go there, we'll read the famous lines here in Job 42.

See, this is what we want to come to. The Houston Regional Weekend has the theme of seeing God. And Job says, after God raked him over the coals one side up and down the other side, we might say for several chapters there, Job 42.1, then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that you can do everything and that no thought can be withheld from you. Who is he that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understand not things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Here I beseech you and I will speak, I will demand you and declare you unto me. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees you, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. And so it was that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to life, as the Timonite, my wrath is kindled against you. And after Job prayed for his three friends, he had everything restored and more. See, God must be justified regardless of what happens to me or you. See, you can be like Job, and still, when the great trial comes, Job spoke against God. Job sinned, as I read it clearly from the Bible.

What does it mean when we say that God must be justified? God has not and never will sin. When we say that God is justified, we mean that whatever God does is just. He is a just God.

And when we admit that we're sinners, we justify God and his wisdom, the wisdom of God. We read the description of the wisdom that is from above.

Man's wisdom does not even remotely compare to the wisdom of God. So, let's close here now in today in our search and quest for wisdom.

Be turning to Proverbs 3, with all the things that we have said about wisdom, and with the pitfalls, the things to be aware of, the pits not to fall into, the thoughts not to think, the words to say, the prayers to pray, and the attitude that we hold. What we're about to read now in conclusion summarizes so much. Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs 3, my son, forget not my law, but let your heart keep my commandments. For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you. Bind them about your neck, write them upon the table of your heart. So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path. Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord, depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones, the very heart and core of a human being. Honor the Lord with your substance and with the firstfruits of all your increase. So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and they shall possess and they shall presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weir with his correction, for whom the Lord loves he corrects, even as a father, the son in whom he delights. And so that's what Job had to learn. And then the rest, the next several verses which we shall read and conclude, is about happy is the man. Verse 13. Happy is the man that finds wisdom and the man that gets understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold. Which rush are you going to? She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you can desire not to be compared unto her. Length of days is at her right hand, and her left hand riches in honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. Happy is everyone that retains her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth by understanding. He established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from your eyes. Keep sound, wisdom, and discretion. So shall they be life unto your soul, your life essence, and grace to your neck. Then shall you walk in your way safely. Your foot shall not stumble. When you lie down, you shall not be afraid. Yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither the desolation of the wicked when it comes. For the Lord shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being taken. Happy is a man that finds wisdom.